Last year, Kramer challenged the Class of 2025 to achieve an overall first-time bar passage rate of 83%, a mark that would have been the highest in Elon Law history.

The class’s Student Bar Association president had a counterproposal: What if they reached 85%? Would the dean get a tattoo?

Kramer said yes.

The Class of 2025 responded with a 90.9% overall first-time bar passage rate across North Carolina and 11 other states.

On Sept. 4, Kramer responded by rolling up his sleeve.

At Frozen Pines Tattoo in Gibsonville, North Carolina, shop co-founder and tattoo artist Annie Bella inked “One and Done” on the dean’s arm, a reference to Elon Law’s slogan around bar preparation and passing the bar examination on the first try.

Law School Dean Zak Kramer kept his promise to the Class of 2025, emblazoning the "One and Done" slogan permanently on his left arm Friday, Sept. 4, 2026.

Dean Zak Kramer's expressive face was on full display as he got his "One and Done" tattoo Friday, Sept. 4, at Frozen Pines Tattoo in Gibsonville.

Dean Zak Kramer laughs as Annie Bella of Frozen Pines Tattoo in Gibsonville completes the mark on his left arm.

Artist Annie Bella of Frozen Pines Tattoo in Gibsonville completes detail work on Dean Zak Kramer's tattoo.

Dean Zak Kramer grimaces as tattoo artist Annie Bella of Frozen Pines Tattoo in Gibsonville begins work.

Law School dean Zak Kramer sits for a “1 and done” tattoo on September 04, 2026.

Law School Dean Zak Kramer admires the “One and Done” tattoo on his arm Sept. 04, 2026, at Frozen Pine Tattoo in Gibsonville.

Law School Dean Zak Kramer admires the “One and Done” tattoo on his arm Sept. 04, 2026, at Frozen Pine Tattoo in Gibsonville.

Elon Law Dean Zak Kramer kept his promise to the Class of 2025, emblazoning the "One and Done" slogan permanently on his left arm Friday, Sept. 4, 2026.

The tattoo celebrates a significant achievement for the Class of 2025 and Elon Law. In addition to the 90.9% overall first-time passage rate nationwide, class members taking spring exams also achieved a 91.96% first-time passage rate on the North Carolina Bar Examination.

Elon Law’s accelerated 2.5-year J.D. program allows students to graduate in December and take the bar in February, months ahead of the traditional three-year law school timeline.

Kramer isn’t letting the Class of 2026 rest on its predecessors’ success. He’s challenged this December’s graduating class to raise the bar again when they sit for the exam in February.

What kinds of promises will he make them? That remains to be seen.

So, how did this one go?

“Ow,” Kramer said just afterward, “but I’m happy to do it. Proud of the students.”

“A deal’s a deal.”

Assistant Professor of Law Robert Craig, Assistant Dean of Experiential Education Bryant Park, Assistant Professor of Law Susan Ross and Assistant Professor of Law Heather Scavone join the law school with professional backgrounds spanning federal courts, civil rights advocacy, corporate legal practice, career and experiential education and federal immigration policy. Their experiences will shape courses and programs that prepare students for both the intellectual demands and practical realities of the legal profession.

Craig, Park and Ross are based in Greensboro, while Scavone returns to the School of Law as a member of the faculty in Charlotte.

Here’s a bit more about each of them as Elon Law prepares to begin the Fall trimester next week.

Robert Craig, Assistant Professor of Law

Robert Craig brings to Elon Law a career spanning the K-12 classroom, federal courts and constitutional civil rights advocacy.

A Tucson, Arizona, native, Craig studied philosophy and political science at the University of Arizona before joining Teach For America and �þ��� fifth grade in Phoenix. He earned a master’s degree in elementary education from Arizona State University and later a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Craig clerked for Judge Andrew D. Hurwitz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Judge James A. Soto of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. He then spent seven years in nonprofit legal practice focused on plaintiffs-side federal constitutional and civil rights issues, including due process, private prisons and the delegation of government authority.

At Elon, Craig will teach Constitutional Law I & II and First Amendment. He was drawn to the law school’s emphasis on innovative and experiential �þ��� — something he has considered throughout a career that began in an elementary school classroom.

Craig enjoys seeing students grasp new ideas, but �þ��� also allows him to encounter familiar cases and concepts through students’ perspectives. Each semester offers a chance to learn something new and refine his approach.

“There’s a built-in natural way to get better,” he said.

Craig and his wife, Erin Duncan-O’Neill, have two children, Connor and Wren. Outside the classroom, he enjoys golf, soccer, games, and science-fiction and fantasy novels.

Bryant Park, Assistant Dean of Experiential Education

Bryant Park joined Elon Law to lead the continued refinement and growth of its signature Residency-in-Practice Program in Greensboro and Charlotte.

The program places every full-time student in an immersive legal setting during their second year, where they work alongside attorneys and judges while developing the practical skills, professional judgment and confidence needed to enter the profession. Park was drawn to a model that ensures every full-time student receives that experience.

“Law school does a great job of helping you think like a lawyer, but not necessarily all the nitty-gritty of how to be a lawyer,” Park said. At Elon Law, the required Residency bridges that gap for every student through experience working with clients and colleagues and learning the everyday mechanics of legal practice.

Park brings experience in legal practice, career development and experiential education. He began his career practicing family and elder law in Wisconsin and most recently served as senior associate director of career and professional development at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law.

A first-generation law student and lawyer, Park earned his bachelor’s degree in English creative writing from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and his J.D. from Marquette University Law School. The Wisconsin native enjoys puzzles, LEGO and figuring out how things work. He recently built his first computer — and discovered he enjoyed building it as much as using it.

Susan Ross, Assistant Professor of Law

After two years as a visiting professor, Susan Ross joins Elon Law’s full-time Legal Method & Communication faculty with decades of experience spanning engineering and corporate law.

Ross spent much of her legal career as an in-house attorney, including nearly a decade with Vontier and Gilbarco Veeder-Root and seven years with a Triangle-based technology company later acquired by Oracle. Her work encompassed contracts and negotiations, mergers and acquisitions, employment law, litigation management, environmental matters and corporate management, including service as chief legal officer for the Americas.

Raised in Arizona, Ross studied engineering at Duke University before working as an engineer and earning her J.D. from Arizona State University. She has taught throughout her career, from tutoring and serving as a �þ��� assistant to leading continuing legal education programs.

At Elon, Ross teaches Legal Method & Communication courses and is developing a course on artificial intelligence and the practice of law. Having seen the internet transform legal practice early in her career, she views AI as the profession’s next technological shift.

“We’re not going to get rid of AI,” Ross said. “We need to lean into it and find a way to teach students to use it responsibly.”

Ross, a longtime Greensboro resident, has an adult son and two dogs. And students can expect each class to begin with one of her favorite �þ��� tools: a dad joke.

Heather Scavone, Assistant Professor of Law

Heather Scavone returns to Elon Law with deep roots at the law school and years of experience shaping federal immigration policy.

Scavone first joined Elon in 2010 after directing a Greensboro legal services program for refugees. Working with founding faculty member Helen Grant, she helped establish Elon Law’s Humanitarian Immigration Law Clinic, creating an opportunity for students to serve clients while putting their legal education into practice.

She left Elon in 2018 to join U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where she served as associate counsel in the Refugee Asylum Law Division of the Office of the Chief Counsel. During her federal service, she served as a legal and policy advisor to USCIS and DHS leadership on matters involving humanitarian protection, administrative law, national security, and federal immigration policy. Her work included advising on complex regulatory and statutory issues, supporting the Department of Justice in class action litigation, drafting certiorari recommendations to the U.S. Office of the Solicitor General, and briefing members of Congress and senior executive branch officials on areas of subject-matter expertise.

Now an assistant professor at Elon Law in Charlotte, Scavone will teach Constitutional Law and Professional Responsibility. Her executive branch experience provides a particularly timely foundation for exploring constitutional law and separation of powers with students.

For Scavone, �þ��� offers another way to expand the impact of her legal career. �þ��� who have transformative experiences in law school, she said, become “the ripples that just keep going out” as they serve clients and communities.

Scavone earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Guilford College and her J.D., cum laude, from North Carolina Central University School of Law.

Outside of the classroom, Scavone enjoys baking, playing traditional Irish music with her father, and going on international adventures with her husband and children.

They were selected from a record pool of more than 230 applicants to the part-time, evening, in-person program hosted at �þ���’s Charlotte Center.

Nearly 120 students are enrolled in the program as it enters its third year. Designed for place-bound students balancing law school with jobs and other commitments, the Flex Program offers a path to a law degree that can be completed in about three years and eight months — meaning this year’s new students could graduate as soon as March 2030 — with the flexibility to adjust their pace and extend studies if needed.

Vice Dean and Professor of Law Alan Woodlief welcomed the class during Convocation ceremonies on Aug. 10 highlighting the academic achievement and professional experience its members bring to Elon Law.

“You were selected based on your many prior achievements, your demonstrated passion for studying law, and your immense potential for success in law school and in serving others through the legal profession,” Woodlief said. “You should be proud of your admission to the Flex Program and motivated to live up to the high expectations we have for you.”

48 — Total Enrollment of the Entering Class of Fall 2026

154 — Median LSAT

66% Female | 34% Male

31% — �þ��� of Color

29 — Average Age

20+ — Members holding advanced degrees

27% — First-Generation College �þ���

Nearly 90% of incoming students are the first in their families to attend law school.

Broad professional and educational experience

Entering Flex Program students earned �þ��� degrees from 34 colleges and universities. The institutions most represented in the class include:

• UNC-Chapel Hill with six students;
• UNC Charlotte with four;
• Appalachian State University and the University of South Carolina with three students each, and;
• North Carolina State University and Winthrop University with two students each.

More than 20 �þ��� majors are represented, ranging from art history to zoology. Political science is the most common major, with 12 students, followed by criminal justice with five, psychology with four and business with three.

Two members of the class have served in the military, and several competed as varsity athletes.

The class also brings substantial professional experience to the classroom. Eleven students — 23% of the class — already work in the legal field, including as paralegals and legal assistants. Others have built careers in banking and finance, real estate, nursing, journalism, �þ��� and sports coaching.

The class also reflects the Flex Program’s strong regional ties. Eighty percent of students are from North Carolina, while five are from South Carolina. Other members of the class come from Utah, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida.

“We look forward to witnessing firsthand your accomplishments to come — over the next four years and throughout your careers as Elon lawyers — as you channel this energy, focus, and commitment to excellence and service in your new chosen profession as pioneering lawyer leaders,” Woodlief said.

Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather III delivered the Call to Honor, challenging students to consider not only what they hope to accomplish as lawyers, but whom their work will ultimately serve.

“The lawyer, and the law student, who demonstrates fidelity to the field is always in the fight because they are thinking of what someone else needs from them — fighting for someone else’s interest as if it were their own,” Merriweather said during ceremonies held Mon., Aug. 10, at �þ���’s Charlotte Center at 330 W. Tremont Ave. in Charlotte’s South End neighborhood.

Merriweather leads the district attorney’s office for North Carolina’s 26th Prosecutorial District, the state’s largest. His connection to Elon Law is also personal: his wife, Lila Riley L’10, is a member of the law school’s second graduating class.

Describing law as a vocation rooted in serving others, Merriweather reflected on experiences that shaped his own path, from witnessing lawyers pursue justice following a racially motivated killing in his hometown of Mobile, Alabama, to working with a grieving father as a first-year law student interning in the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office.

“Those who are fulfilled in this practice believe that it is something that we are called to do,” Merriweather said. “If you truly commit to pursuit of this practice, you do so because you believe that you have a charge to keep: to speak up for someone, and to tell someone’s story with full impact.”

Merriweather urged students to:

• Be ambitious, curious, studious and sharp, while never losing sight of the people the law is meant to serve.
• Build a reputation for integrity.  Future clients and colleagues must be able to rely on a lawyer’s word, competence and credibility.
• Find your own sense of purpose in the law. When the work becomes difficult, Merriweather encouraged students to return to a simple question: “What are you here to do?”

The Flex Program allows students to earn a law degree through a part-time, in-person course of study designed for working professionals and place-bound students in the Charlotte region.

Flex Program Student Bar Association President Raygan Angel LF’28, a member of the program’s inaugural cohort, encouraged new students to build a supportive community rather than view classmates as competitors.

“The relationships you grow here will matter just as much as the cases you’re going to have to study,” Angel said. “So introduce yourself, form the study group, share an outline and celebrate each other’s wins instead of measuring yourself against them. The legal profession needs more lawyers who compete with integrity and lead with generosity.”

Vice Dean and Professor of Law Alan Woodlief opened the ceremony by recognizing the commitment required of Flex Program students, many of whom will balance full-time careers and other responsibilities with law school. He told the third cohort that faculty and staff “marvel at” and respect the work they have done to organize their lives around pursuing a legal education.

The ceremony concluded with an Elon tradition connecting the newest law students to the university’s name and history. “Elon” is the Hebrew word for oak. The university has long used the growth of an acorn into an oak tree as a symbol of education, transformation and individual potential.

Woodlief presented each student with an acorn as they crossed the front of the room, where Dean and Professor of Law Zak Kramer greeted them and shook their hands. The students will receive oak saplings at Commencement.

Kramer closed the ceremony by reflecting on the significance of the third Flex Program cohort and the community that has grown around the program. He also echoed Merriweather’s message about finding a calling in the law, urging students to lean into the law school experience and promising that Elon Law would take seriously their ambitions and dreams.

“Your calling is what brought you here, and our charge, as we see it, is to make sure that you can answer that call, whatever that call is,” Kramer said. “The call is up to you. We will follow it, and we will do everything we can to support you and launch you into your career.”

About Elon Law

Elon Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required, full-time Residency-in-Practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school’s distinctive curriculum offers a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which provides exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.

Elon Law has graduated more than 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students and the law school is regularly featured in the top tier of preLaw Magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” rankings. In 2026, Elon Law received ABA approval to launch a full-time 2.5-year J.D. program on the campus of Queens University of Charlotte beginning in Fall 2027. The Elon Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study for place-bound students at �þ���’s Charlotte campus, welcomed its third cohort in Fall 2026.

 in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she focuses on family law and immigration. In the profile, Seymour reflects on the challenges and rewards of changing careers later in life and encourages others not to let age stand in the way of pursuing meaningful work.

“The most obvious thing that anybody could ever say, but it had not occurred to me that I could actually be different or just change. It shifted for me,” Seymour told People.

Seymour has remained closely connected to Elon Law since graduating in 2017. , she regularly mentors students, supports experiential learning opportunities and has partnered with the law school on pro bono initiatives that expand access to legal services while providing students with valuable hands-on experience.

Last year, Seymour supervised students participating in a power of attorney clinic in partnership with FaithAction International, a project that earned the North Carolina Bar Association’s 2026 Law School Pro Bono Project of the Year Award. She wrote the letter of recommendation to the bar association that led to the students’ recognition.

to learn more about Seymour’s inspiring career journey and the lessons she hopes others will take from it.

Applications will be accepted starting Sept. 1, 2026.

The ABA approval clears the way for Elon Law to expand its nationally recognized model of full-time legal education to North Carolina’s largest city. At that point, Elon Law will offer three pathways to a law degree in North Carolina: a full-time program in Greensboro, a full-time program in Charlotte and the part-time Elon Law Flex Program in Charlotte.

“This comes at an incredible moment for Elon Law,” said Elon Law Dean Zak Kramer. “Within the last year, we’ve celebrated historic bar passage rates and employment outcomes for our graduates, along with record enrollment and student applications. The ABA’s approval of our Charlotte program builds on that momentum, allowing Elon Law to bring our signature approach to legal education to one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities.”

The inaugural Charlotte class, consisting of up to 75 students, will begin studies in August 2027 on the campus of Queens University of Charlotte. The charter cohort will graduate in December 2029, following Elon Law’s existing 2.5-year, seven-trimester academic calendar in Greensboro. The Elon Law Flex Program will also begin holding its part-time evening classes on the Queens campus in Fall 2027.

The full-time Charlotte program will replicate the innovative curriculum established at Elon Law’s Greensboro campus. The hallmark of Elon Law’s experiential, skills-based, community-centered approach to legal education is the Residency-in-Practice Program: a course-connected placement that pairs every student with a practicing attorney or judge during the winter or spring of their second year.

That experience moves students beyond studying the law to begin living it — working alongside attorneys and judges, serving clients and communities, and developing the professional judgment and practical skills expected of new lawyers. �þ��� return to campus with greater confidence, stronger professional connections and a clearer sense of the kind of lawyer they will become.

Elon Law is in the early stages of hiring a full complement of professors, administrators and student support personnel who will lead the full-time program in Charlotte. The move aligns with the proposed merger of �þ��� and Queens University, which remains subject to final approval from SACSCOC and the U.S. Department of Education.

Elon leaders are working closely with Queens University to ensure law students benefit from a vibrant campus experience and the resources of a thriving university community.

The expansion also builds on Elon Law’s longstanding relationships throughout Charlotte’s legal community. Already, more than 10 percent of the law school’s alumni live and work in the Charlotte area. Law school leaders plan to strengthen existing partnerships, develop new connections and grow opportunities for students to serve in a region with a need for legal talent, legal services and innovative legal education.

Through clinics, residencies and community partnerships, Elon Law students regularly work alongside attorneys, judges, nonprofit organizations and public agencies to help address unmet legal needs.

“We’ve been in Charlotte all along through our students, alumni and community partnerships,” Kramer said. “This approval gives us an opportunity to deepen our commitment to Charlotte. We’re excited to invest here, build new partnerships and help shape what comes next.”

Additional information about admissions, faculty hiring and program development will be announced in the coming months.

About Elon Law

Elon Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required residency-in-practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school’s distinctive full-time curriculum provides a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which offers exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.

Elon Law has graduated more than 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in downtown Greensboro in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students. The law school is regularly featured in PreLaw Magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” rankings, maintaining an A+ rating each year since 2023. Elon Law was also among schools highlighted by Bloomberg Law in 2023 for its innovative approach to student development.

The Elon Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study, launched in Charlotte in 2024. Designed for students balancing work, family and other commitments to earn their J.D. in under four years, it will enroll its third cohort in Fall 2026.

The foundation is the charitable arm of the Mecklenburg Bar Association, dedicated to service, access to justice and community engagement in the Charlotte region.

The appointment reflects Elon Law’s growing engagement with Charlotte’s legal community and the law school’s emphasis on service and experiential learning through its existing part-time Flex Program and proposed full-time, 2.5-year J.D. program, which plans to enroll its first class in fall 2027.

Since the launch of the Flex Program in 2024, Butterworth has helped cultivate partnerships between Elon Law and nonprofit organizations across the Charlotte area, connecting students with volunteer opportunities, nonprofit organizations and community service initiatives. Those efforts have included collaborations with organizations such as Safe Alliance, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and the Guardian ad Litem Program, as well as campus supply drives and events hosted by area agencies.

Many of those organizations have also met with Flex Program students during weekly Evening Docket events, providing students the opportunity to meet with and learn from legal professionals in the community.

Dean Zak Kramer said Butterworth has played an important role in establishing the Flex Program’s presence and growing the law school’s presence in Charlotte.

“Emma has invested herself in the life of the Flex Program and the Charlotte community,” Kramer said. “She has made a real difference for Elon Law, our students, and our neighbors in Charlotte.”

Vice Dean and Professor of Law Alan D. Woodlief said Butterworth’s appointment reflects both her commitment to community engagement and Elon Law’s broader mission in Charlotte.

“The Mecklenburg Bar Foundation does important work throughout the Charlotte area, and Emma has been deeply committed to connecting our students with opportunities to serve and learn,” Woodlief said. “Her leadership has strengthened Elon Law’s ties to Charlotte’s legal and nonprofit communities, and advanced our students’ professional lives.”

Butterworth said the role aligns closely with Elon Law’s mission and will create additional ways for students to engage with the legal profession in Charlotte.

“I’m honored to serve alongside members of the Mecklenburg Bar Association in support of the Foundation’s mission of giving back to the Charlotte community,” Butterworth said. “The Charlotte legal community has warmly welcomed both the Flex Program and me personally, and that support has created opportunities for meaningful partnerships and collaboration. I look forward to continuing to build connections with local nonprofits while expanding opportunities for our students to engage in service and professional development.”

Six judges, comprising two panels, heard oral arguments in two cases inside the law school’s Robert E. Long Courtroom on Wed., April 15. Following recess, they held an extended Q&A session with students in the courtroom where they shared lessons drawn from decades of experience on and off the bench.

Among their advice to young lawyers:

• Be willing to concede a point — then quickly move on to explain why your client still prevails.
• It’s OK to say, “I don’t know,” rather than risk your credibility. Return to your argument about why your client should win the case.
• Structure legal briefs as clear roadmaps of your argument for the Court.
• Be concise in your writing. Make your point, support it with the law and move forward.
• Use caution with AI: Verify facts and citations before submitting any work to the court. Large language models often hallucinate legal matters.

Judges hearing arguments and interacting with students were:

• The Hon. Chris Dillon, Chief Judge of the N.C. Court of Appeals
• The Hon. John Arrowood
• The Hon. Jefferson Griffin
• The Hon. Toby Hampson
• The Hon. Donna Stroud
• The Hon. John Tyson

Judges heard arguments in two very different cases.

The first, , centers on whether certain residential units should be classified as townhomes or duplexes under local building codes, a distinction with significant regulatory consequences — and now potential financial consequences for individual property owners.

The second case, , out of Forsyth County, involves the state’s appeal of a trial court’s decision to dismiss charges after testimony referenced a prior case, raising questions about prejudice and appropriate remedies.

“It was an incredible experience for our students to observe six judges from the North Carolina Court of Appeals and four highly skilled appellate advocates in action, particularly as our first-year students prepare to present their own appellate arguments in their required Legal Method & Communication course in a few weeks,” said Alan Woodlief, vice dean and professor of law. “Several of the judges visiting today consistently welcome Elon Law students to their chambers for their Residencies-in-Practice, summer internships, or full-time clerkships after graduation. It was great to have several current Residency students accompany their judges to the oral arguments.”

Elon Law students’ takeaways

Law students listened intently to judges’ lines of questioning, but also to the ways appellant litigators structured their arguments, responded to jurists’ questions and addressed the court.

“I was paying attention to everything. I could understand why this is such a complicated case — codes changing, proposals changing, multiple parties — and I appreciated the judges asking why it got to this point and where responsibility lies,” said Lamarie Austin-Stripling LF ’29. A student in Elon Law’s part-time Charlotte Flex Program, Austin-Stripling drove from her home in Concord, North Carolina, to hear arguments before returning to the Queen City for classes that night.

Greensboro law students were just as engaged.

• “What struck me most is how much of what I’ve already been doing — in the classroom, in residency, and in internships — showed up in these arguments. It reinforced that I’m learning the skills I’ll need to be in that position one day.” – Tyler Sesker L’26, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, who earned her �þ��� and graduate degrees at Hollins University and the University of Virginia.

•  “I was surprised by how collaborative the process is — judges discussing cases with each other and their clerks before and after arguments. It was valuable to see how the pros do it and what approaches seemed to resonate.” – Tom Desch L’27, of Cornelius, North Carolina, who earned his �þ��� degree at the University of South Carolina

• “One of the most impactful takeaways was hearing from the judges that if an attorney doesn’t know an answer, it is okay to say, ‘I don’t know.’ Being honest about the limits of your knowledge is much better than risking your credibility.” – Paulina Escobar L’27, of Ecuador, who holds a law degree from the University of the Americas in Quito, Ecuador.

Elon Law alumnus argues in his home court

For one attorney arguing before the court, the visit marked a return to where his legal career began.

Reginaldo Williams L’11, now an attorney with the North Carolina Department of Justice, presented arguments in State v. Cuadra. His path to appellate advocacy, however, was far from certain.

“I was that person wondering, ‘Why did I do this?’” Williams said following hearings, recalling his time as a law student. “I didn’t feel like I fit as a prosecutor or a public defender. But when I did my first oral argument, I knew — this is it.”

Williams credits guidance from Professor of Law Catherine Ross Dunham with helping him stay the course at a moment when he considered leaving law school altogether. That decision ultimately led him to appellate practice, where he now represents the state in criminal appeals.

“There are a lot of students who may not feel like they’ve found their place yet,” he said. “But you will. And when you do, it makes all the difference.”

This year’s group is the largest in the program’s history. Elon doubled the size of its physician assistant class from 38 to 76 students, growing its capacity to prepare clinicians for communities across North Carolina and the Southeast.

The expansion reflects a broader transformation in graduate eduction underway at �þ���. From classrooms on the main campus in Alamance County to new opportunities in Charlotte, graduate education is evolving with intention and purpose.

Guided by the Boldly Elon Strategic Plan, university leaders are investing in
programs where student interest intersects with societal need — strengthening health sciences, business, counseling and legal education while positioning Elon to serve both emerging professionals and working adults seeking new pathways.

That growth builds on more than 40 years of momentum. Elon launched its Master of Business Administration in 1984, followed by a Master of Education in 1986. Graduate offerings expanded into the health sciences with a Master of Physical Therapy program in 1997, which became a Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2003. The university established its School of Law in downtown Greensboro in 2006. Today, that trajectory continues with strategic expansion in fields
experiencing high demand.

“Pursuing growth now allows us to serve regional needs while also staying true to our tradition of innovation and student-centered academic excellence,” says Allie Duffney, dean of graduate admissions.

A Changing Landscape

Elon’s growth reflects broader shifts across higher education.

“We’re seeing a decline in the traditional college-age population, so expanding strong graduate programs allows Elon to serve new learners while staying centered on our �þ��� mission,” says Rebecca Kohn, provost and vice president of academic affairs.

According to the Council of Graduate Schools, applications and enrollment in health professions, counseling, data science and business analytics programs remain strong in recent years. “Health care, law and behavioral health professions are facing sustained shortages across North Carolina and the Southeast,” Duffney says.

Several graduate programs are expanding to Elon’s National �þ��� in Charlotte, where students can learn, intern and network alongside major health systems, corporations, nonprofits and courts in a major metropolitan area.

“Growth in Charlotte allows Elon to design graduate education aligned with workforce needs and to support interprofessional collaboration and community partnerships,” says Veronica Marciano, associate professor, founding chair and program director of physician assistant studies in Charlotte. “It creates space to innovate across disciplines and opportunities for involvement in system expansion and workforce development.”

Recent and planned expansions include increasing the cohort size in the PA program on main campus; launching a second PA program, a full-time law program and Master of Science in Business Analytics Flex Program in Charlotte; introducing a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program; and expanding graduate certificates designed for working professionals.

A Critical Call for Health Care

In response to nationwide demand for physician assistants, Elon expanded its cohort size from 38 to 76 students in January. The program remains committed to engaged learning, hands-on clinical practice, close faculty mentorship and access to diverse, high-quality rotation sites.

Elon plans to matriculate an inaugural PA class on the Charlotte campus in January 2027, pending accreditation-provisional review by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

“Establishing a PA program rooted in Charlotte directly supports workforce needs by preparing highly trained clinicians who understand the local health care landscape and are invested in serving this community,” Marciano says. “Our goal is not only to educate excellent clinicians, but to meaningfully support and strengthen the health care ecosystem in Charlotte.”

That responsiveness also shaped the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, which plans to welcome its first cohort in fall 2026 on Elon’s main and Charlotte campuses.

“Mental health care is no longer optional; it is essential,” says Judy Folmar, interim program director and chair of the clinical mental health counseling program. “Communities across North Carolina and the nation are facing rising rates of anxiety, depression, trauma and substance use while the supply of licensed counselors has not kept pace.”

Delivered in a 21-month accelerated hybrid format, the 60-credit program is designed to equip graduates for licensure while combining academic preparation with extensive clinical experience.

“The growth of graduate education at Elon reflects both institutional momentum and a commitment to workforce relevance,” Folmar says. “What excites us most is the alignment between Elon’s engaged-learning ethos and the preparation of advanced practitioners.”

Skills for a Changing Economy

As organizations accelerate digital transformation and integrate artificial intelligence technologies, demand continues to rise for professionals who can translate data into strategic action.

“Organizations are undergoing rapid digital transformation and increasingly rely on data and AI to make faster, higher-stakes decisions,” says Mark Kurt, associate dean for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. “The MSBA Flex Program in Charlotte equips working professionals with applied analytics and AI skills plus the leadership and ethical frameworks needed to translate data into responsible, measurable business outcomes — without pausing their careers.”

Built on the same STEM-certified core as Elon’s full-time MSBA, the flex format is designed for working professionals and emphasizes AI-informed entrepreneurship.

Pursuing growth now allows us to serve regional needs while also staying true to our tradition of innovation and student-centered academic excellence. — Allie Duffney, dean of
graduate admissions

“Faculty and leadership are actively refining the curriculum, building stronger employer partnerships and adapting quickly to changes in the business and analytics landscape,” says Elon alum Craig Brandstetter ’25 g’25. “That flexibility and openness to feedback mean the program can stay relevant and cutting-edge, rather than being locked into outdated structures.”

Alongside degree programs, Elon is also expanding stackable graduate certificates designed for working professionals. Certificates in health care analytics and operations excellence can serve as stand-alone credentials or pathways toward an MBA or MSBA.

The Office of Continuing and Professional Studies recently launched its second cohort of an AI certificate for professionals, delivered fully online to provide practical AI fluency grounded in ethical application.

Expanding Access to Legal Education

Elon Law has built a national reputation for experiential, practice-ready legal education. In 2024 the law school expanded its presence in Charlotte through the part-time Flex Program for working professionals and place-bound students seeking an in-person J.D. in North Carolina’s largest city.

That program quickly gained momentum, reflecting strong regional demand and Elon Law’s established ties to the Queen City, where nearly 10% of its alumni live and work. Elon has applied to the American Bar Association to begin a full-time law program in Charlotte in fall 2027.

“We already have strong relationships there through our programs and alumni,” says Zak Kramer, dean of the School of Law. “The legal community’s embrace of our Flex Program students confirmed that. A full-time program will allow our graduates to learn alongside Charlotte lawyers, build networks and launch careers there.”

Together, Greensboro and Charlotte position Elon’s School of Law as a statewide presence while maintaining the relationship-rich model that defines the institution.

Looking Ahead

As higher education evolves, graduate education is becoming an increasingly important part of the university’s future.

“The heart of Elon will always be our �þ��� liberal arts education,” Kohn says, “but we are strengthening and growing our graduate programs to meet changing societal and workforce needs.”

From Alamance County to Charlotte and beyond, Elon is expanding opportunities for graduate students to learn alongside health systems, businesses and legal institutions across the region. Those programs are preparing the next generation of physician assistants, counselors, analysts and attorneys to serve the communities that need them most.

Results from the February 2026 exam were released Wednesday, April 1, by the . Elon Law’s result far exceeds the statewide first-time passage rate of 74.78% and the school’s previous high of 82%, set by Elon Law’s charter class in 2009.

The Class of 2025’s success reflects a sustained, school-wide focus on �þ���, preparation, and student support, all aimed at helping graduates succeed not only on the bar exam, but in their legal careers.

“This is what Elon Law is all about,” said Zak Kramer, dean of Elon Law. “We’re in the dream-making business. The better our students perform, the faster they can begin making an impact as lawyers.”

An upward trajectory

In recent years, faculty and staff have aligned around the mission of excellence on the bar exam. They adopted a new motto and mindset: “One and Done.”

The gains are striking. First-time passage has climbed from 52.8% for the Class of 2021 to 91.96% for the Class of 2025, with steady increases along the way, including 79.4% for the Class of 2023, and 73.5% for the Class of 2024.

These efforts are part of a broader vision. Elon Law’s faculty continuously refine how they teach for real-world lawyering. The school’s 2.5-year J.D. program accelerates students’ path to the profession — with a December graduation and February bar exam — while reducing the cost of a legal education. Recognized nationally for practical training with an A+ rating from PreLaw Magazine, Elon Law prepares graduates to enter the profession with confidence and experience.

“We’re so proud of our students who took the bar,” said Jenny Lane, assistant dean for academic success. “We gave them the mission, ‘Commit, complete, conquer,’ and that’s exactly what they did.”

With its highest bar pass rate in recent history and a multi-year trend of steady growth, Elon Law is on a sustained upward trajectory.

“Big things are happening at Elon Law,” Kramer said, “and we’re just getting started.”

About Elon Law

Elon Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required residency-in-practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school’s distinctive full-time curriculum provides a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which offers exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.

Elon Law has graduated nearly 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in downtown Greensboro in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students. The law school is regularly featured in PreLaw Magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” rankings, maintaining a Top 10 placement and an A+ rating each year since 2023. Elon Law was also among schools highlighted by Bloomberg Law in 2023 for its innovative approach to student development.

�þ��� has applied to the American Bar Association to open a full-time, 2.5-year J.D. program in Charlotte beginning in fall 2027. The Elon Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study, launched there in 2024. Designed for students balancing work, family and other commitments to earn their J.D. in under four years, it enrolled its second cohort in fall 2025.